


His Best Girl was Always an Agent 13

by Willibald



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Case Fic, Gen, His Best Girl(s), Marvel 616/MCU Crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-05-17 00:06:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14821485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willibald/pseuds/Willibald
Summary: Being old doesn't stop you taking an interest in the world, especially when it's being threatened  by HYDRA.Takes place between Winter Soldier and Age of Ultron and during Season 1 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..





	His Best Girl was Always an Agent 13

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mithborien](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mithborien/gifts).



> Thank you to mithborien for inspiring this story. I hope I haven't strayed too far from her pompt.  
> And to my wife, eoforyth for betaing and comma wrangling.

When in 1945 Peggy Carter led a successful mission against Research Facility Number Four, the last known HYDRA stronghold, they had thought that the evil was over. The War ended and Carter working with Stark and Dugan went on to form S.H.I.E.L.D. so that it might never happen again.

Seventy years later the world found out how misguided that hope had been. Good had prevailed and HYDRA had been destroyed bringing S.H.I.E.L.D., the Triskelion and three very expensive helicarriers crashing down with it. But as they say “Cut off one head...”

 

“So Captain Rogers, having decided that I'm too old you thought you'd get a new model by cradle snatching my niece?”

“Come on, Peg. You know you'll never be old,” said Steve, bashfully. “Besides, the jury's still out on me and Sharon.”

Sharon took a swipe at Steve's ankle and he winced as she connected. Peggy sat up and started laughing but the laugh became a cough and she sunk back into her pillows. Both Steve and Sharon raced to help her but she waved them away and took a sip of her water. “So Steve, do you think HYDRA's finally gone this time?”

“I wish I could but I'm sure there are cells still out there that were never linked to S.H.I.E.L.D. I just don't know how we can track them down.”

“Well just because S.H.I.E.L.D. has been disbanded doesn't mean that they aren't still out there fighting the good fight. Phil Coulson's doing his best but his team can't be everywhere at once.”

“Peggy, aren't you supposed to be retired? And how is Coulson still alive, Loki killed him.”

“So Fury didn't tell you?” She studied Steve's face. “Just like you're not telling me that he's still alive and out there somewhere. Well, I may be old but I still have connections. The grandson of a wartime comrade in S.H.I.E.L.D., a niece in the C.I.A. How is the new job by the way?”

“That's classified!” said Sharon.“Seriously, it's hard to gauge how much they really trust those of us who transferred but I seem to be fitting in better than some.”

“Good. See if you can find out anything about the 55 Central Park West. Word is that a European gentleman has just moved into the penthouse after living for several years in Argentina.”

“So?”

“They say he always wears a red hood and has a liking for big, purple coats that could almost be robes.”

Sharon looked confused but Steve caught on straight away. “Baron Zemo.”

Peggy nodded and answered her niece's questioning look. "Baron Heinrich Zemo, one of the Red Skull's lackeys. Bit of an 'X' maniac ̶ Particle X, Formula X, Adhesive X, Weapon X, Compound X... He was second only to Zola as the top HYDRA scientists. Fled Germany at the end of the war and was pretty much left alone in South America. We were too busy to hunt him down and all reports that did come through suggested that he'd retired."

"And now he's back."

 

Which was why Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson spent the next week playing tourist in New York and jogging around Central Park. And why Sharon Carter (thanks to her aunt's intervention) was transferred to a surveillance station even though her field assessment hadn't been been completed. And why an old lady started getting visits from friends she hadn't heard from in years.

“It's definitely him,” said Steve as they gathered around Peggy's bedside to keep each other updated. “And he's been busy redecorating if all the furniture trucks delivering to the penthouse were to be believed. They were certainly sending a lot of large, heavy boxes up there.”

“The whole of the floor below his suite has been filled with an Anvil security team.” added Sharon. “There's no way to tell if they're HYDRA loyalists or just rent-a-mercs though. We have bugs in place where we can. It seems like Zemo's planning a big meeting for the thirteenth.”

“The roof always has at least three guards,” added Sam as he passed around photos of heavily armed figures in black battledress with light body armour and dark visored helmets. “Not that I risked exposing us by flying over myself but I've been longing for an opportunity to play with my new toy.”

“Thank you, Mr. Wilson. You remind me of someone I fought alongside in the Howlers.”

“Do you mean Gabriel Jones, ma'am? I've done my homework at the Smithsonian.”

“Actually, I was thinking of Jacques. You share his resourcefulness and love of gadgets. I remember he once took out a HYDRA staff car with a grenade attached to a model aeroplane... But you do share some of Gabe's good looks.” She turned away from the blushing Falcon and beckoned to her niece, taking the younger woman's hands in hers. “And you, my dear, Michael would be so proud.”

“Michael?” Steve asked.

“My brother, and Sharon's great-grandfather. He died at Dunkirk, never knowing his wife was pregnant. She remarried after the war, a GI, and moved to the States. Her son, also Michael, kept his father's name.” She gazed at her niece a while longer. “But we should get back to business. Steve, Sharon, do you think you can neutralise the mercenaries without making too much noise while Sam clears the roof?”

“That shouldn't be a problem.”

“Good. Then that's the way we'll play it.”

 

At 14:00 on Friday the thirteenth, Captain America and Agent 13 left their CIA rented apartment, overrode the lock on the elevator and sent it up to the top floor. Then they took the stairs. The guards were investigating the empty lift when they burst from the stairwell. Three dropped to Steve's shield and the other two to Sharon's silenced pistol. Then they split up and swept the rest of the floor for possible re-enforcements. Once all the Anvil mercs had been accounted for and restrained, the pair took the private elevator to the penthouse.

A solitary guard fell to Sharon's weapon as the doors opened. The hallway was otherwise empty and devoid of any furniture or decoration except for a vintage HYDRA emblem mounted over the double doors that led into the meeting room. A door at the end of the corridor led to the apartment's kitchen. They were about to investigate this when it opened and a black uniformed guard stepped out carrying two cups of coffee.

“Oh my God! Captain America!” he called in a loud whisper. “Can I have your autograph?” He put down the cup and reached for a notebook from his back pocket while Cap and Sharon stared dumbly back at him. “Can you make it out to Bob, please. And be quite. He doesn't want to be distributed while he's in conference.”

Steve took the proffered book and pen and, shaking his head in disbelief signed a blank page. “So who's the Baron meeting with?”

“Ah ah ah, you know I can't tell you that.” He took back his notebook, read and reread the inscription, then carefully replaced it in his pocket. “I still can't believe it, Captain America! On my first day as well!”

“This is your first day with HYDRA?”

“I wish. They've got a really terrific dental plan. This is sort of a try out. Still, I suppose you'll have to knock me out now.” He thrust his chin forward. “Try the edge of the shield. If I get a scar from it I'll get free drinks for life at Sister Margaret's...”

Sharon hit him. Hard. “What? He was getting annoying.”

When they had Bob secured in the kitchen, Steve radioed Sam. “We're in.”

“Roof's clear.” Sam answered. “Nobody obvious has arrived for this meeting though. I flew Redwing around the building but all the windows on this floor are shielded, and there are sound baffles in the walls so I can't hear anything either. I am getting one heat signature from the room in front of you. I assume it's Zemo. There's no one else with him.”

“Sounds like the setup they had at the Triskelion,” said Steve, “A remote conference.”

“One way to find out,” said Sharon as she attached a tubular device to the wall beside the doors. It began to noiselessly bore itself into the wall. “Doors are probably armoured so this is quicker.” She said as she took a small disc from her belt. “Sam doesn't have all the cool toys.”

A light flashed on the tube signalling that it had completed its drilling. Sharon placed the disc on her left hand and activated it. A holographic touch screen now floated above it displaying a live feed from inside the room.

“I didn't know the CIA had access to that sort of tech.” said Steve.

“They don't. But I have a good friend who's now highly placed in Stark Industries.”

Sharon passed an earpiece to Steve and the two set about eavesdropping the conference.

 

As suspected, the room was fitted with holochairs similar to those used by the World Security Council. They were arranged around a round table so that each place could be considered a head. As Steve and Sharon watched, figures began to materialise into the chairs.

Clockwise, on Zemo's left, was a slim, dark haired woman dressed in a green jumpsuit. “Ophelia Sarkissian, the Viper.” provided Sharon. “Sometimes calls herself Madam Hydra. S.H.I.E.L.D. records said she'd been killed in Japan.”

The space after the Viper was occupied by a robotic figure with a box-like head from which a single camera lens protruded and a screen in it's chest which bore the image of a human face. “Zola?”

“Looks like he had a backup ready when he spoke to you in the bunker. This version seems mobile too.”

“And potentially even more dangerous.”

Next to the Zola android was a balding man in a black uniform. He wore a monocle which partially covered a scar that extended part way down his cheek. He seemed to be in private conversation with the man next to him, punctuating it with the occasional scowl directed at the woman on the other side of his companion.

“That looks like von Strucker, but surely he should be dead or well over a hundred by now?”

“The von Strucker who worked with the Red Skull is long dead. That's his son, Wolfgang. He actually was a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. until the Triskelion, then he disappeared. We thought he was hiding in Eastern Europe, Latveria or Sokovia, but you can't track everyone at once.”

The man von Strucker had been talking to turned to the woman on his left, allowing his face to be seen for the first time. “Now I know I'm seeing ghosts.” said Steve. “That's Weirner Reinhardt, another of the Red Skull's cronies.”

“Impossible. Aunt Peggy captured him in '45 and he was a prisoner of S.H.I.E.L.D. until 1989 when he was released on medical parole. He died later that year." She noticed Steve's quizzical look. "What, I've studied all of Aunt Peggy's cases and not only the official records. I wish I could see the woman next to him a bit clearer," she added getting back to the conference delegates. "That looks like a high ranking Air Force uniform she's wearing.”

But the mystery woman remained turned away from the camera.

The seat next to her was empty.

The final chair was occupied by an older man in an exquisitely tailored suit. “Octavian Bloom.” Sharon stated. “He was being watched by S.H.I.E.L.D. but they never had any proof of his links to HYDRA. Of course, not all the information was necessarily going into the records.”

Which brought them back to Zemo.

 

"Gentlemen, ladies," Zemo banged the table to bring the meeting to order. "Heil HYDRA!" His guests returned the salute.

"I thank you all for attending. Our comrade sends his apologies due to his needing to keep a low profile while he remains active within S.H.I.E.L.D., but you all have his report from the Centipede Project. Their work on the Erskine Formula, Extremis and Banner's gamma research combined with my own research into the regenerative powers of Particle X mean that he will be even stronger when he returns. I now ask that each of you give your reports so that we all can see how our individual work contributes to Project X as a whole."

Bloom was the first to speak. "Funding for the project has never been an issue but the chaos after the Triskelion has allowed us to purchase the facilities and a lot of the equipment we require much faster that we had originally expected."

"We now have the technology to build a god," said Zola. "A body grown with unbreakable bones of Vibranium, bathed in the Centipede Serum so that the muscles and organs will be stronger than any human has had before." A series of diagrams flashed across his chest screen as he spoke. "And by including Kree DNA this new body will be perfect for..."

"Terrigenesis!" concluded the man next to von Strucker. "Sadly it is not possible to replicate the means of my own regeneration, but by exposing his new body to the mist it will not only be more powerful than any other man, it will have powers beyond imagining."

"What sort of powers, Dr. Whitehall?" asked Bloom.

"We will not know until he awakens. Every one who survives the mist is different. But among those we have witnessed are teleportation, energy projection, regeneration and super speed."

"We, too, have a speedster," added von Strucker. "But ours was born of the power of the Mind Stone, brother to the Stone which powered the Tesseract. My associate, Dr. List, has concluded that the Red Skull was translated by that stone into a cosmic being. With the power of Loki's sceptre we will be able to unite his mind with Zola's new Ubermensch body."

Viper steepled her fingers. "The Hand has agreed, for certain considerations regarding Madripoor, for us to use one of their resurrection chambers to awaken him once he has returned. I am told this will also grant immortality, and having spoken with the leaders of the Hand I am not inclined to disbelieve them."

Zemo turned to the final member of the gathering. "And what can you offer General?"

"While the witch hunts have decimated our agents within S.H.I.E.L.D. and other intelligence agencies, our forces within the world's military have been relatively untouched. He will only have to say the word and the largest army the world has ever seen will be his to command."

"Excellent!" said Zemo. "Then all is in place. The Red Skull shall live again!"

 

"I've heard enough." said Steve, and kicked the doors open.

 

The figures around the table faded out of existence as Captain America and Agent 13 burst into the room. Zemo stood and pulled a gun but Cap's shield smashed into his hand and it went spinning across the room. "Captain, I understood you were once again active," he said as he rubbed his wrist. "Your intrusion is unwelcome but not entirely unexpected nor unprepared for." He pushed a button on the side of the table. A steel shutter dropped over the doorway and the room started filling with gas.

 

"Steve. Wake up Steve."

Steve coughed and tried to open his eyes. He could just make out Sam Wilson kneeling beside him offering him a bottle of water. "Zemo?" he croaked.

"Gone. He used a jet pack to escape and hit me with some sort of gloop gun when I tried to follow. It's a good job my wings aren't a part of me because they're still trying to get them unstuck from the water tower."

Steve slowly sat up and looked around. "Sharon?" There was panic in his voice.

"Easy, soldier," said a voice from the shadows. "She's still out but they felt it was safe to move her somewhere more comfortable. You were starting to stir so we decided to wait for you to wake and have a little chat. More private. Now what happened here?"

Steve told his story as the feeling returned to his body. When he had finished he had enough strength to stand up and turned to where Nick Fury had been standing, but he and Sam were alone in the room.

 

The doctors kept him for tests for three hours, by which time Sharon was also awake. They were kept overnight for observation and allowed to leave the following day. Before they left the hospital, Sharon borrowed a phone and called her aunt. As the pair left, one of the doctors picked up the phone and studied the call log. "Hail HYDRA," he said quietly to himself.

"So we know what they're planning and we know most of the players involved. That gives us a start." Peggy coughed but declined a drink. "I'm fairly certain Phil Coulson's team is on the trail of the missing man and his Centipede Project, and I think efforts have been renewed to find where von Strucker went to ground."

"If Viper's in Madripoor she will be difficult to get to," said Sharon.

"But she's not essential until the plan is almost complete," added Steve "Finding Zola has to be a greater priority."

"I agree," said Peggy. "Perhaps we can put pressure on that Bloom character and get him to reveal Zola's base."

A knock at the door brought the discussion to an abrupt halt. They listened as Peggy's housekeeper/nurse went to answer it. A short cry had Steve reaching for the portfolio in which he carried his shield when out of uniform and Sharon for her gun. Neither got the chance to use them as both were struck by blobs of Adhesive X, gluing them both to the wall.

Zemo strode into the room. "Captain, please don't think that you have stopped our plans with your interference. A minor setback at worst. Project X will still go ahead." He fired more Adhesive X at Steve, pinning his arms and legs to the wall, then he put down the oddly shaped weapon and casually walked over and punched him in the stomach.

"Bastard!" shouted Sharon.

Zemo turned to her and reached for her face. She kicked out but he nimbly sidestepped. "I like your girlfriend, Captain. It is regrettable that she has to die here. Regrettable but necessary. A few hours in front of a Faustus screen and she would have made a great asset to HYDRA." He punched Steve again.

"You always were more talk than action, Zemo," said Peggy before pausing to cough. "That's why you were never better than number three in HYDRA, no, probably more like number ten—or should that be number X?"

Zemo finally turned his attention to the old lady in the bed. "So it's true. The legendary Agent Carter of the S.S.R. Or should that be S.H.I.E.L.D.? And there you lie, fragile and impotent like your beloved organisation while here an I, more vigorous than ever, just like HYDRA." He gently cupped her chin with a gloved hand then slapped her hard on the cheek. She collapsed back into her pillows and didn't move again.

"Aunt!"

"You won't win," shouted Steve before Zemo could strike her again.

Zemo returned his attention to Steve and punched him in the face. "But I already have" _punch_ "Captain." _punch_ "You have interfered" _punch_ "for the last" _punch_ "time. You" _punch_ "are" _punch_ "about" _punch_ "to die." He stepped back and drew a squat pistol with a bloated barrel from his belt. "But first say goodbye to your lady friends. I assume you recognise this."

"HYDRA disintegrator pistol," Steve said spitting blood. "One of Zola's inventions."

Zemo ignored the jibe and aimed the weapon at Sharon.

A short staccato burst of gunfire echoed through the room. Zemo looked down in disbelief as a line of red spread across his chest. Then his legs gave way and he collapsed to the floor.

Behind him stood Peggy Carter in her nightie with a still smoking Tommy-gun in her hands.

"Please don't tell me you had that hidden in your drawers, Peg?" Steve asked.

"Good God no. It was under my pillows." She pulled a miniature, one shot I.C.E.R. stun gun from under her nightdress. "I keep this in my knickers, but I wasn't sure it would have the stopping power for his enhanced body."

She knelt and examined Zemo. "He's sill alive. In fact the wounds have already stopped bleeding." She stood and kicked the disintegrator away from him. Then she picked up the Adhesive X projector.

"I never really liked that carpet," she said as she glued Zemo to the floor. "You know, my dear." she said to Sharon. "This should be a lesson for you. Never let an enemy know your weaknesses but never let them know just how strong you are either."

 

Zemo was taken to the newly commissioned Raft prison. Fortunately, one of the earliest inmates there was a minor villain known as the Trapster. He had recreated the Adhesive X formula from Zemo's original notes and who had, very sensibly, created a solvent for it. They were unable to remove Zemo's hood though, it had been stuck to his face for too long.

 

Two weeks later, after most of the bruises had healed, Peggy, Steve, Sharon and Sam met at _Harlem's Paradise_ , a club which occasionally hosted a Forties-style big band.

"I hear that Coulson's team have put an end to the Centipede Project," said Peggy.

"And Natasha's located von Strucker's base in Sokovia. We're putting a team together to take him down any day now," added Steve.

"So it looks like HYDRA's plans to bring back the Red Skull have been put to rest," said Sam.

"It certainly does," agreed Steve.

The band started playing a slower number, String of Pearls, encouraging couples to take to the floor. Steve stood and held out his hand. "Why, Miss Carter. I believe this is our dance."

Peggy stood up and took his hand. "Why Captain Rogers. I do believe it is."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. It was amazing how well things from acoss the movies and TV series fitted together to form this plot. For example did you realise that both Peggy and Sharon had been given the designation 'Agent 13'.
> 
> I have taken Baron Zemo as being Cap's adversary from the comics (Earth 616). In the comics he has a son, Helmut. Zemo from the MCU (Earth 199999) is no relation.  
> Sharon's friend who went to work at Stark Industries is Maria Hill.  
> Sharon refers to Viper from the Wolverine movie (Earth 10005)  
> Zola had backups! His android body is based on that from the comics.  
> The empty chair was for John Garrett who was busy with Coulson at the time.  
> The mystery woman is General Hale from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D season 5.  
> Bob appears courtesy of Earths 616, 12131 and TRN414. You might have noticed him in the first Deadpool movie.


End file.
